We, like millions of others, are huge fans of before and after images. There’s just nothing quite like seeing two drastically different photos side-by-side to spur motivation and the desire for change. But what we don’t often see if the phase in between these two images, especially when it comes to cosmetic changes—until now. Maddy Ghorob lost 130 pounds over the course of a year, and like many women who lose an impressive amount of weight, her next course of action was to undergo a tummy tuck coupled with a breast augmentation to restore her body back to its proportional state. However, there was something unique about this particular case: she decided to let her plastic surgeon document both surgeries on his Snapchat for the world to see.
After spending the majority of her young life being severely overweight, Ghorob opted for a bariatric sleeve and, as a result, has lost almost half of her body weight since. She then reached out to Beverly Hills, CA, plastic surgeon, Payam Jarrah-Nejad, MD, for her tummy tuck and breast augmentation to remove excess skin and stubborn fat that lingered behind, also planning for him to document both procedures on his Snapchat. Although the process was difficult for Ghorob—she shared on her Instagram that she had many a “pre-surgery breakdown”—she underwent the procedure yesterday and has since shared that it was successful. “They removed 15.5 pounds of skin and fat,” she shared, adding that they also removed 1 liter of fat via liposuction. As promised, Dr. Jarrah-Nejad, has shared the surgery on his Snapchat and the videos were not for the faint of heart (he included the pre-operative steps as well as graphic mid-surgery videos).
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“First I felt regret that I didn’t lose more weight before going to get nipped and tucked. Followed by fear of what the future me will become,” Ghorob shared on her personal YouTube channel. “The fat life is all I’ve ever known … and still it’s hard for me to let it go. I still refer to myself as fat even though I’m probably really not anymore. Weight loss is more than physical. For me, the majority of my pain and suffering was mental and emotional, and I still battle with that part every day.” Ghorob explained that this battle continued until right before her surgery. “I was in the bathroom at the hospital crying minutes before. I kept thinking ‘Do I really have to do this?’ and every time I asked myself, the answer was always yes. I had to—I had to take the next big step. Having a flat stomach was the one thing I’ve wanted more than anything in my life. I know it’s something very superficial and very minor, but I’ve had a hanging and ‘flappy’ stomach since I was, like, seven,” she tells us. “Imagine being a child and having a stomach hanging down to your pubic area. It was horrible. I’ve never worn a tight dress or a tight shirt or a tight skirt. And what would be the point of losing 130 pounds if I was still walking around with all this skin hanging on me? I had no choice. I had to have it done.”
Because this process has, of course, been so emotional for her, it left us wondering why she decided to publicize it. “My weight loss journey has been public from the start,” Ghorob tells NewBeauty exclusively. “My followers have seen every part of my transformation in a very exposed manner. The ups, downs, bad and good times, the hard times, the happy times—it has kept me accountable throughout the process. Not only did I not want to let myself down, but having 88,000 people watching me made me want to work harder for everyone that sees me as a role model,” she explains, adding that she didn’t want to let them down, either. “They really look up to me and use my journey as a template for their own; I felt it would be unfair to now want to hide this next part of my journey from them. I worked hard to get to where I am and I wanted everyone to see what happens when you work this hard and lose all this weight. My body will never be like the body of a woman who was always skinny her entire life. I have battle scars and I’m proud of them, because these scars show where I’ve been, who I’ve been, and how far I’ve come. Although I am not that person anymore, it keeps me grounded and reminds me that I WAS that person and that’s why I can sympathize and empathize with people that are where I am now. I know what it feels like and I have the scars to remind me if I ever start to forget.” As for any regrets over having the surgery broadcasted on Snapchat, Ghorob tells us she has none. “I’m going to post the video snaps on my YouTube account, as well. I know how important it is to my devoted followers to see my journey, so I didn’t even think twice about sharing it with them.”
To join us, along with 88,000 others, eagerly awaiting updates and “after” photos from Ghorob’s weight loss journey, follow along on Instagram (@eff_being_fat).
